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Energy Rating Label - What Retailers Need To Know

Supplying a product?

Know your obligations.

If you are a retailer or tradie and supply a product in Australia and New Zealand that is regulated for energy efficiency, you have legal obligations to ensure that these products are registered, and if required by the legislation, that Energy Rating Labels are displayed at point of sale.

Displaying the Energy Rating Label

Understand your legal requirements

Some products require an Energy Rating Label (ERL) to be displayed when they are sold in stores. If you are a retailer supplying these products, there are legal obligations about how the ERL is displayed. Labelling requirements are contained in the relevant GEMS determination which specifies the ERL design and placement on the appliance.

In general, the ERL must be clearly visible on the front of the product, preferably on the upper front, or if that is not possible, on the top of the product.

ERLs must not be:

covered by promotional material, including price stickers or brand promotions

covered with other stickers or labels (such as product barcodes)

marked (e.g. written on with texta/marker pens)

faded or damaged.

ERLs can be in one of the following formats:

self-adhesive label

double-sided swing tag

static cling label

single-sided non-rotating tag.

Lost or damaged ERLs

If an ERL is lost or damaged, contact your product supplier to get a new label for the product. You may be able to print an interim ERL (as long as it meets the required format and layout) while you wait for the new one to arrive. Alternatively, the product should be removed from display until you receive the new ERL. You may find some ERLs are difficult to keep attached to the product. If this is the case, provide feedback to your product supplier as they may be able to consider a different adhesive method in the future.

Compliance

GEMS inspectors conduct market surveillance across Australia to ensure models of products meet GEMS registration and labelling requirements once in the marketplace. Results are published in Market Surveillance reports, and specific results can be provided to retail chain head offices to assist with targeting education resources if required.

Online and print advertising

It is not mandatory to display an ERL when selling products online, or when advertising (online and print). However, you may use the Energy Rating Icon which is a simpler version of the ERL. It helps provide information to potential customers about the energy rating of products before they make their final purchase decision. You should note that the ERL and Icon are trademarked images belonging to the Commonwealth of Australia. If you are a supplier or retailer wanting to use the icon on a regulated product online or in printed material, you do not need to seek permission.

Download the apps

Help your customers choose a product that suits their needs, reduces emissions and saves them money. The Energy Rating app makes it quick and easy to calculate running costs and compare the models they're considering -- so they can invest in one that doesn't give them bill-shock for years to come!

Light bulb saver app

Learn how choosing more efficient light bulbs can save money – download the free Light Bulb Saver app now on the iTunes App Store or Google Play

The Energy Rating Label

Selling labelled appliances? Learn how to use the Energy Rating Label to compare the energy efficiency and running costs of models so you can help your customers invest in a product that saves energy, reduces emissions and is cheap to run.

Selling regulated products in Australia

Product selling guides

Don't get caught out for not having the knowledge your customers expect you to have about energy efficiency and the products you sell. To complement the free online training suite, we've produced a suite of selling guides for you -- as a retail sales professional -- to be able to answer your customers questions confidently about labelled products, running costs and energy efficiency.

Help your customers choose a more energy efficient product with the online Energy Rating Calculator. Compare the energy efficiency -- and running costs -- of labelled products before they buy so they can invest in a model that will save them money in the long-run.

Free online training and guides for retailers and tradies

Free online training

If you're a retailer or tradie, you can access the suite of free, easy-to-use online training (eLearning) modules to learn what you need to know about energy efficiency.

When you've got the facts – and can confidently answer their questions about efficiency – you'll be able to help them choose a a product that suits their needs and saves them money in the long-run. Contact us to register.

Download the Basics of Efficient Lighting reference manual to understand the basic concepts of energy efficiency, sustainability, light and lighting design. The manual can help you learn the key requirements of a lighting system and what standards need to be met.

The Plumber Training Handbook and Plumber Reference Guide are resources to assist plumbers in installing heat pump hot water systems. They are a useful resource for plumbers and other installers of solar and heat pump water heating technologies, and will help installers to update their installation skills and techniques.

Lighting retail stores are well positioned to assist customers to make lighting choices that result in more efficient energy use and good light quality for their homes.

The specialist Lighting Retailer Training Guide consists of a downloadable retailer guide and suite of residential case studies designed to help you support your customers to choose efficient lighting solutions that meet their needs.

Registrations

If you're a retailer or tradie selling or supplying products regulated for energy efficiency -- always make sure they are registered or you could be subject to compliance and enforcement actions under GEMS legislation.. It's easy to find out, use the online registration database to search all registered products.

If you plan to sell or supply a regulated product in Australia, it must be registered first. If you've checked the database and it isn't registered -- or the registration has expired or been cancelled -- you need to complete an application with the Australian Government GEMS regulator

The specific requirements for each product regulated under the GEMS Act — including Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and Energy Rating Labelling (ERL) requirements — are set out in a further legislative instrument specific to that product type called a GEMS Determination.